


A New York Christmas

by pseudofoucault333



Category: Star Trek RPF
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Tree, First Christmas, First Kiss, I have a feeling I may have been watching Home Alone 2 when writing this, Inspired by Music, Interfering!Karl, Los Angeles, M/M, New York City, Rockefeller center, Singapore, Snow and Ice, Touring, interfering!Joe, so-completely-unsure!Zach, supportive parents, unsure!Chris
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-10
Updated: 2012-12-10
Packaged: 2017-11-20 20:30:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/589350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pseudofoucault333/pseuds/pseudofoucault333
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zach and Chris' first real Christmas together and then their first real Christmas as an actual couple.</p><p>Written for <b>trekrpfexchange</b>'s Secret Santa '09 and beta'd.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A New York Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Yep it's getting close to that time of year and I thought since it's the season and all that jazz I'd post an old....and probably my only, Christmas related fic in all honesty involving these two. Knowing my luck another will appear before Christmas Eve and I'll rush to finish it. Also I have four unfinished New Years fics which I'll try and finish before we hit 2013, my little thank you to everyone leaving the kudos and seriously there is a whole lot of those if the stats are to be believed :)
> 
> But yes I'll try and add another chapter of 'Our Flaws...' and 'Gotta get LA....' before Christmas too for those of you eager to see them continue :) xo

**Author's name:** **lovin_torture**  
 **Written for:** **jenlynn820**  
 **Pairing/characters:** Pinto with Karl and a few other cameos.   
**Rating:** R  
 **Prompt:** Zach and Chris' first Christmas together  
 **Warnings:** None really.  
 **Author Notes:** Written for **trekrpfexchange** 's Secret Santa 2009, there's a lack of Porn and overly filled with smut....which I managed during summer school. Betaed by the awesomeness of **gryffin_draco** :)  
 **Disclaimer:** Don’t own though I wish I did.... inspired by the song A New York Christmas by Rob Thomas.

In order that I can come up with excuses ahead of time to deter any last minute plans made by my friends, I have had a long standing habit of planning next year’s Christmas far in advance. It’s mostly a case of figuring out where I’m going to be and who I’m going to be with - which is generally with the sister and parents at the family home – as well as whom I’m going to beg to decorate my place for the sake of the Christmassy vibe. Whether or not I’ll be around to enjoy it due to press releases or filming schedule is another matter. Usually things go as planned and I’m not worrying about last minutes flights to surprise or corner someone; however, this would be the second year that I’ve had to change my plans.

Both of these unexpected schedule adjustments have occurred because of Zach. My Zach. And while I wouldn’t have it any other way, it just feels like I’m doing a lot of rearranging to be with him. 

The first time was just after the end of the Star Trek press release tour. But that wasn’t where it all started. Press tours are always a bore and trying to come up with ways to remain occupied can get a bit straining. As such, it was a relief when we were given a couple of days off in Singapore to regain a bit of sanity and keep us from bouncing off the walls. I hadn’t exactly been sure what I was going to do with that freedom: I could lay in bed all day watching pay per view and downing my weight in chocolate with Zoe and Anton until I went back to sleep or go out and explore the streets of Singapore - go into shops I’d never heard of and take in the sights. As I was trying to make a decision, a knock at my door and the sound of a kiwi-tinted voice, followed by the all too familiar voice of Zack, told me I was definitely going to be doing the later. At least I managed to get some much needed exercise before my next bout of jet lag hit. My exercise regime always got shoved out the window when doing a tour so it was definitely needed.

After three hours of Zach dragging me into the types of stores I usually avoided for fear of being seen and Karl daring me to try some of the local cuisine, I was beginning to wonder if I’d made the right decision when my head started to go light with caffeine withdrawal. Zach seemed to be in tune with my body as he wrapped an arm around my waist and called to Karl that a caffeine break was on the agenda. He steered us to the nearest Starbucks, leaving Karl to sigh but reluctantly bring up the rear.

While we dared to let Karl order us some Frappuccinos, I let Zach lead me through the various sets of tables and chairs in search of somewhere private for us to sit where no passing paparazzi and/or fans would find us. We ended up in the back corner - near the bathroom if we needed to hide. 

“You ok, Chris?” Zach asked, resting his elbows on the table as he checked his phone for messages from his brother or mother, or possibly checking the time back home, before shoving it back into the pocket of his pants and letting his gaze rest on me.

“Hmm? Yeah, I’m just a little bit drained. Maybe I should have stayed in bed for a few more hours and taken the lazy option with Zoe and Anton.” I sighed, rubbing my face with my hands.

“Oh come on, Chris. We’re out of the country for a while. We need to have some fun on our days off before going back to the old media grindstone.” Zach rolled his eyes as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs, looking over my shoulder as Karl appeared with our drinks.

“But this isn’t exactly my kind of fun.” I sighed, flashing Karl a smile of thanks as he set three drinks on the table and slid into the free seat beside mine.

“Well, what is your idea of fun then?” Zach asked, pulling a green Frappuccino towards him and cautiously taking a sip. Trust him to go for the green option.

“I bet it involves being in a bed naked with someone straddling him.” Karl drawled with a smirk that made me blush. I grabbed the caramel Frappuccino, leaving Karl with the only remaining drink. I avoided meeting their gazes as my taste buds steadily got used to the liquefied sugar on the whipped cream. 

Zach rolled his eyes at Karl’s remark like he knew what he was trying to pull and it wasn’t going to work. 

“It does have something to do with a bed. But add a book and a bottle of white wine instead of the faceless figure you described.” I said, watching Karl murmur ‘kill joy’ as he reluctantly took a sip of his own drink.

After that Zach was unusually quiet as if Karl’s description of me with someone had gotten to him in a way our friend obviously hadn’t realised it would. I tried to get him to talk to me about it on the way back to the hotel but he was hissing at Karl in a way that told me not to bother. When I attempted to meet him for dinner he wouldn’t even open the door. Just called that he wasn’t hungry and would see me in the morning.

The second day off I took the lazy approach but couldn’t stop thinking about Zach’s behaviour as I stared at the screen where some random movie was playing. I couldn’t even remember the name of it. I didn’t manage to work up the nerve to bug him about his behaviour and by the time we were back on the media trail, I thought he’d forgotten about it. 

He acted like he had when we were being interviewed, but once the spotlight and cameras were off he treated me so differently. I wanted to catch him and ask what his problem was, but when I tried I could never find the right words to ask. It was about six months after we’d disbanded from the tour, and I’d been auditioning like crazy for more parts. J.J. was talking to the Paramount execs about the possibility of sequel, which was when I knew I had to corner him. 

I didn’t exactly get the courage I was looking for until I was at my parents’ house, staring at the wide screen TV, watching Home Alone with my family on Christmas Day. I had planned to stay there until New Years but knew this couldn’t wait; I needed to get it out of my system.

That night I packed my bags and called to book a flight to Pittsburgh, making sure I got up early enough to make my excuses to Father as he sat watching CNN. I promised him I’d be back for New Years and, though he seemed to wonder why I was disappearing so randomly, he assured me it was fine. As I sat on the plane that morning I wondered at Zach and Joe making this trip every year to visit their mother and how they could stand living on the other side of the country from their mother. I’d always been lucky enough to have my parents so close if I needed them. 

When I had arrived and collected my luggage, the question arose of how the hell I was going to get to the Quinto family home when I had no idea where the hell it was. I’d texted Joe while hanging around the arrival’s lounge and was relieved when, instead of just giving me an address, he agreed to pick me up. I stood and waited for him outside Pittsburgh International Airport. Soon after he appeared, looking surprisingly happy to see me despite the fact that I was gate-crashing his time with his mother to get the truth out of his secretive brother. He could probably tell that much from the look on my face as he shoved my luggage into the back seat of his car. 

“Zach’s been a downer this year....so maybe you can lift his spirits a little before our mom calls in the big guns.” He said, rolling his eyes as he closed the back door and slid into the driver’s seat.

“Do you know why?” I asked, knowing there were two possible interpretations to that question. He seemed to get the one I wasn’t intending as he froze from pulling out on to the busy road.

“I’ll explain on the way there,” he said quietly.

It was silent in the car aside from the old school Christmas songs on the radio and the few questions he asked about the other roles I was going for and how the rest of the Trek crew were. I made as much small talk as possible until we got to the nearest Starbucks before the city. He parked up and brought us both festive coffees, only answering my question once we managed to find a table where I wouldn’t be seen.

“Look Chris, I really wish I didn’t have to be the one to tell you this....and Zach would kill me if he knew but...he fell for the old Pine charm when he first met you on set. Being the professional he is, he opted to ignore his feelings and go with the platonic approach so that the chemistry didn’t get messed up,” he said between sips of his toffee nut latte.

“What? Why didn’t he just tell me this on the press tour instead of leaving me in the dark?”

“I would have thought that would be obvious. I mean, you know the kind of stuff that goes on in a hotel if confessions happen. The people, they fuck....and then they go their separate ways once the tour is done. Zach didn’t want to experience the aftermath.” 

“More like he thought I wouldn’t return his feelings,” I sighed, downing a mouthful of my peppermint mocha and banging my head against the headrest as my thoughts began to process this new piece of information. How could I have not noticed this before?

“That too...so do you?” he asked, tilting his head at me.

I opened my mouth with the intention of a straight out ‘no’ but something seemed to stop me. It could have been the ache in my heart which screamed at me for being such an idiot or the part of me that had known all along but ignored it for the complications. Instead I said the very words which seemed to sum up my emotions at that moment.

“I...I’m not sure.”

“I find that hard to believe. You must if you flew across the country on Boxing Day to confront him about his crappy behaviour,” he said, downing another mouthful of his latte.

I sighed and he seemed to take that as a signal for us to go to his mother’s place before I talked myself out of this. We arrived half an hour later, and Joe snuck me in through the back door while Zach and Mrs Quinto were watching something in the lounge. Joe showed me the guest room and left me to settle in while he delivered the coffees he’d brought for his mother and brother. I could feel my courage fleeting a little now that I was here and knew the cause behind his withdrawen behaviour. I was just debating sneaking back out and leaving a note of apology to Joe for messing up his Christmas when the door opened revealing Zach eyeing me up uncertainly. I gave him a weak smile and watched him enter the room, closing the door behind him. Unlike all the times I’d seen him before, he wasn’t dressed in tight jeans and a button-up shirt. Instead he was in baggy, battered jeans with an old Carnegie Mellon sweatshirt giving him a college boy look which I had never pictured him in before. My thoughts were pulled back to reality when the door clicked and he approached me.

“What the hell are you doing here?” There was a tone of desperation in his voice that had my stomach churning as he paced back and forth, refusing to sit close to, let alone look at me.

“I needed to talk to you....” I said weakly, watching him rake his fingers through his hair.

“And you couldn’t do it over the phone because.....?” he sighed, crossing his arms over his chest and raising an eyebrow at me.

“Because I knew you’d hang up on me. Besides I needed to see you, too...I know this isn’t a good time, Zach, and I am sorry, but this couldn’t wait,” I said, patting the bed beside me as I held his gaze.

He chewed his bottom lip as he reluctantly sat beside me, keeping a gap between us. That hurt a little, but I didn’t let it show on my face.

“Let’s hear it then.”

Like every other time before, my words seemed to leave me and I knew I was going to look stupid if I didn’t say or do something. The later definitely seemed like a better option but kissing Zach, which I really wanted to do right then, without telling him how I felt didn’t seem like a good option.

“After how you reacted in Singapore...I wanted to know why you were so distant with me,” I watched his gaze move to the bedspread where he was picking at a stray thread, “but Joe kind of told me on the way here.”

Once I mentioned his brother, I saw Zach freeze and his fingers shake as he pulled them from the thread. His lips were pressed together in a tight line, lost in thought, which made me nervous. I had been expecting him to curse Joe into oblivion and tell me that now wasn’t the time to go into the feelings he had so long since repressed, they were none existent anymore. Instead, he stayed quiet and steadily pushed himself off the bed to walk towards the window and look at the snow covering the back garden.

“Zach.....did you hear what I just said?” I asked, chewing my lip uncertainly and hugging my leg in an effort to restrain the urge to go touch him, an act which could only make things worse.

“Yeah....I’m just wondering why he told you now?” 

“Well, he seemed to think I needed to know... well that and he thought I felt the same way,” I reasoned. The last few words mumured in a way that part of me hoped he didn’t hear. It didn’t seem to have worked, though, when he asked the same words that Joe had said an hour before.

“And do you?” 

I licked my lips as my mouth went dry and tried to come up with those words that had been eluding me since the drive from the Starbucks. I knew it was as simple as a yes...but just saying that one word didn’t seem right. It seemed too easy, like I was trying to avoid telling him about my feelings which were so complicated that I wouldn’t know where to begin. on my complicated feelings which would that I couldn’t seem to sort through no matter how hard I tried. I made myself get to my feet and approach him, his gaze still fixated on the view out the window and his eyes distant, as though thinking of another time and place. I rested my hand gently on the small of his back when I stood beside him and felt him stiffen as if it had brought him back to reality.

“I have never felt anything more for someone than I do for you,” I whispered softly, letting my gaze move over his profile. His teeth bit his lip as his gaze remained outside the window. Finally, he turned to look at me, letting a small smile appear on his face.

“You don’t have to pretend if that isn’t how you really feel, Christopher. I’m old enough to be told the truth.” His voice was rough and filled with self doubt, like he was so sure I was lying.

“I’m not lying. I could never lie to you, Zach, and I’m sure you know that.” I rested my hand on his cheek and edged closer to him so that I was in his personal space, close enough to kiss him to prove it if I managed to get the nerve.

He sighed as his gaze fully met mine, still looking a little uncertain as one of his own hands rested on my cheek. His thumb brushed against my skin as he guided my lips to his. I didn’t resist at all though deep in the back of my mind, I was nervous. This kiss would either prove to him that I was telling the truth or crash and burn. 

It was soft at first, a basic brush of lips against lips. With my head tilted to the side, we fit together like two jigsaw pieces. My eyes flickered closed as soon as his lips parted and I let myself indulge in the ride that followed, our tongue painting trails in each other’s mouths, hands moving from the hesitant position of cheeks to the back of necks to deepen it. All we could taste and breathe was the other, and it was definitely the best first kiss I’ve ever had. 

We pulled back to catch our breath and our eyes opened, the depths of his beautifully dark eyes were filled with sparks of arousal I had never expected to see. It definitely confirmed what Joe had told me; Zach really did want me more than words could ever express. A smile appeared on his face as he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me closer beside him. It was then that I realized Zach had always been my other half, I had just never expected it to be true in every aspect of my life.

It was the perfect holiday in Pittsburgh after the awkwardness disappeared. Meeting Mama Quinto and listening to embarrassing stories that I had never thought Zach would have experienced was like something out of my mind’s own fairytale. As I was preparing to return to LA and spend New Year’s with my family to make up for my disappearing act, Zach came in to help me pack. At least, that’s what he claimed as he sat on the bed to watch me and ask about things which I’d forgotten to mention over the past few days; however, as I was shoving my spare pairs of shoes into the sides of the case, I saw him biting his lip.

“Hey, something wrong?” I asked, zipping the case closed and sitting beside him on the bed, lacing my fingers with his.

“It still feels a little surreal you know? When I came here I never expected that I would kiss you, let alone leave with the knowledge that we’re dating,” he said with a smile.

“I know what you mean.....but right now I just can’t wait for you to come back to LA so we can spend some more time together,” I said, pressing a kiss to his lips.

He deepened the kiss a little like the feeling was mutual; the two of us only pulling back when Joe yelled up the stairs that my cab was here. I gave him one last lingering kiss before grabbing my luggage and jacket and leading the way down the stairs with Zach behind me. As the driver put my luggage in the back I hugged both Joe and Mama Quinto then hugged Zach and kissed his cheek before getting into the back seat.

The whole flight back to LA I was planning my next Christmas, how Zach would come to meet my family if we were still together then....it seemed only right. I had already begun the list by the time I touched down in LAX and caught a cab to my parents’ place in time for breakfast.

The New Year passed steadily, and though I and Zach were ‘officially’ together in the eyes of our peers and families, we weren’t for the Paparazzi or the media. And while it hurt, we knew it was for the best on both our parts. Though as the holiday season disappeared and the filming schedules picked back up for Heroes and my new roles, we barely managed to see each other. I refused any offers for going out on the town with friends and would spent more time on the phone with Zach than actually seeing his face. When Easter hit, he came to see me and we spent a fair bit of time in bed catching up on gossip about our friends before he had to go. It continued like that all year. He’d come see me for holidays....except when it was family related occasions like birthdays and then go back to shooting. He had promised me he’d be back in LA for Christmas as long as he spent Thanksgiving with his mother to make up the difference.

It didn’t end up that way.

“Zach please tell me you aren’t serious. It’s our first real Christmas together! You promised!” I pouted, knowing I sounded like a child as I sat cross-legged in front of the TV, soothing my aching body after a long run around the block with Noah. I always ended up dog sitting while Zach was in another part of the country.

“I know, I know! I’m sorry. But Hayden and Milo twisted my arm to come to New York for Christmas this year. I’d much rather be back in LA but....”

“....you can’t say no.” I sighed turning my gaze to Noah who was looking pretty much as depressed as I was feeling while he lay on the floor. Like he could understand that Zach wasn’t coming back, and he wasn’t looking forward to spending a holiday with me. 

“I’m really sorry.”

“No....It’s fine. I’m sure Mom and Dad won’t mind me gate-crashing at the last minute,” I said, running my fingers through my hair as I threw my legs over the couch arm and stared at some random Advert on the tv.

“I really wish you were here,” he said, and the sincerity in his voice making my heart ache a little, making me feel guilty for making such a big deal about such a trivial thing. I knew if he could he would come back to LA for me. If I said the word, but I understood his need to have some time with his friends and I didn’t want to be seen as possessive if I suggested it.

“So do I. I really miss you,” I said softly, biting my lip.

“I miss you too. I should probably go pack for my flight....I’ll call you when I know the next time I can come back to LA ok?”

“Sure. Have fun,” I said weakly.

“I could never have fun without you around, Christopher.” He smiled, causing me to grin a little.

We exchanged a bit more lovable banter before he finally hung up, leaving me to throw the handset to oneside and grab the remote to change channels as Noah jumped up on the couch beside me and rested his head on my torso. I was still channel surfing when the phone rang causing me to frown as I reached for it.

“Hello?”

“Chris, I’m guessing you’ve heard Zach’s planning to stay in New York over the holidays?” Joe’s voice was filled with a sense of purpose which screamed he was planning something. And while I loved Zach’s brother like he was my own, I still wasn’t sure I wanted him butting in on our relationship despite him being the driving force behind getting us together in the first place.

“Yeah why...?” I asked, scratching Noah behind the ears.

“Why don’t you go join him, Hayden and Milo in the big apple?” he said.

“Whoa...hang on a second. I can’t just pack and leave! I’m looking after Noah,” I said, pushing myself upright and ignoring the glare Noah cast at me for disturbing his shut eye.

“Yes, you can. I’ve booked you a flight tonight....and a hotel room over the holidays. Noah can stay with Tyler right?”

“I guess....You’ve really given this a fair bit of thought haven’t you?” I bit my lip as I got off the couch and began to pack. I knew there was no way I could turn down the opportunity to be with my lover after not seeing him since October.

“Pretty much. Well, that and I know Zach feels really bad that he can’t be with you.”

“Wait. Did Zach ask you to do this?”

“What? No! Of course not!”

I didn’t believe him, and he was still trying to convince me as such when Tyler appeared to pick up Noah. I pinned the handset to my shoulder as I let him in, leaving Joe to murmur an overly long argument into my shoulder.

“Hey, Tyler. I really appreciate you doing this at the last minute.” I smiled, handing over a bag of Noah’s stuff and grabbing his lead from the couch to attach to the dog’s collar before he tried to make a run for it.

“No probs....I’m guessing you’re going after Zach, right?” he asked, leaning against the door frame as he swung the bag back and forth.

“Yeah....I think I need a break as much as he does.” I smiled, tugging the lead a few times before Noah finally jumped off the couch and let me lead him towards Tyler.

“Can’t say I blame you there. Give him my best, yeah?” Tyler asked, letting me thread the end of Noah’s lead around his wrist before edging out the door.

“Will do. Again, thanks so much, Tyler. I owe you one,” I called as Noah began to drag the photographer down the drive. I watched them disappear into the darkness before closing the door and taking a breath to prepare myself for the onslaught of Joe’s explanation before bringing the handset back up to my ear.

“Ok fine, you’ve convinced me. But you really didn’t need to pay for it all.” I said dialling a cab on my cell phone, knowing Joe would just call me back if I hung up.

“Call it my Christmas present to the two of you since I haven’t had the time to go shopping.”

“I should probably go finish my packing then if I’m going to get to the airport in time. Send me the details?”

“Sure. Good luck and have a great time.” He grinned before he hung up, leaving me to do the same and replace the phone in its cradle as I turned my attention to the cab order. I grabbed the last minute things I needed as the company took down my details.

The cab arrived ten minutes later, leaving me to steer my luggage down for the driver to put in the trunk while I locked up. I shoved my keys into the pocket of my jacket and climbed into the back seat, offering to give the driver an extra twenty dollars if he got me to LAX in half the time it normally took. Needless to say, it was money well spent. The whole time I was in the vehicle it was like non-existent weight was being lifted off my shoulders at being able to see Zach. At that moment there was definitely nowhere else I would rather be than with his arms wrapped around my naked body under the sheets in some hotel bed. 

During the five and a half hours that it took the plane to get to New York I began to experience all the jitters that I’d had the year before. My heart was fluttering with nerves building under the surface, as I stared out the window at the dark night sky, all those memories of the two of us over the last year when he was in LA: of us curling up on the couch and just holding each other, of kissing in the middle of the night when his jet lag set in. All that and then some assured me that it was worth the trip. Every inkling of the jitters had disappeared by the time the plane touched down at JFK.

The paparazzi practically tried to jump me as I was emerging from the luggage claim, calling my name, yelling questions in the hope of getting a reaction they could capture and use against me. I was in too much of a good mood, however, to let any of it get to me like it usually did, though it did take a lot of restraint to keep a secretive smile off my face which would have been analyzed by every celebrity blogger and fan. It was definitely a relief to let it finally break through my face once the door to the cab closed behind me. What can I say? Zach just has that kind of impact on me.

I arrived at the Crowne Plaza Hotel and silently thanked Joe for the great location. It was a relief when I finally reached my room and could collapse on my king sized bed, leaving my bags on the floor by the door. For a while I just laid there and let my eyes drift closed before letting myself think of contacting Milo or Hayden about luring Zach to a place where I could surprise him.

Finally, I sighed and rubbed the bridge of my nose as I pushed myself up to lean against the middle of the overly large headboard and pull my cell phone out the pocket of my jeans. I let my thumb click through the multitude of contacts in my phone book until Milo’s details appeared on my screen, leaving me to relax a little bit more. I’d just managed to turn the TV on before putting the phone up to my ear after pressing call. 

“Chris! Hey! We were just talking about you! How’s it going?” Milo’s cheery voice asked from the other end of the phone, from the sounds of the background noise he was at a party....ugh poor Zach.

“Pretty good, Milo. Look can you talk without Zach hearing? I have something to ask you.” 

“Er....yeah just a sec.” He grinned, and I heard him apologising and humming as he made his way through the crowd towards a private place away from my lover. I flicked absent-mindedly through the pay-per-view channels, playing with the remote between my fingers before letting it fall to the mattress beside me when I heard him speak again.

“So what’s up?” he asked, clicking a door closed behind him.

“I’m kinda planning on surprising Zach and was wondering if you and Hayden would mind helping me out a little?”

“Sure no problem, what’s the plan?”

xo

The next night I stood in the middle of Rockefeller Center in the shadows around the large Christmas tree with my hands shoved into the pockets of my jacket though that didn’t exactly help much. I should have brought one of my warmer coats. The last thing I needed was Zach appearing and seeing me as an ice statue. I buried my face in the collar to protect me from the cold a bit more and prayed Milo and Hayden wouldn’t take much longer to drag Zach here. He probably would not be happy with walking around in the cold in the middle of the night for no apparent reason, but I was hoping that when he realised I was there it would make it up to him.

Within the silence, I finally heard the sound of three sets of footsteps crunching through the snow and turned in time to see Hayden giggling as Milo clung to her and Zach’s shoulders for leverage having obviously picked the wrong shoes to wear in the present weather conditions. 

“Why do I always end up on the icy side of the street?” he groaned, skidding a little and tightening his grip on both their shoulders so he didn’t fall.

“Why are we even here? It’s freezing,” Zach cursed, keeping his gaze on the ground and sighing. I didn’t have to be standing in front of him to know he was miserable, that he was wishing I was there with him to warm him up from the cold. Hopefully this would make that a reality.

“Maybe we just needed the air!” Milo called as both his fellow cast members brushed his grip off their shoulders and he began to slide down the remaining pavement into the grass where a long string of curse words soon echoed around the otherwise silent night.

“Or maybe....we have a surprise for you.” Hayden said with a wink, linking her arm through Zach’s and practically dragging him in the right direction of the tree causing me to bite my lip from the shadows so I didn’t give myself away just yet.

“A surprise? What surprise could possibly be worth standing in minus fifty degrees weather?” he whined, his gaze still on the ground not even looking up at the Christmas tree. That was definitely my cue.

“I’d hope I’m worth braving the freezing New York winter for.” I smiled, emerging from the darkness.

His face, when he saw me, was priceless. I approached him and Hayden let go of his arm to save Milo from the snow soaking his Chuck Taylors and steer him towards the nearest Starbucks which looked like it was about to close. 

Zach’s dark eyes were filled with that spark which always appeared when I was around him and was only enhanced by the bright smile, covering his perfect lips.

“Chris? Wait, what are you doing here?” he smiled taking the few steps between us to close the gap keeping us apart.

“I would have thought that was obvious. Spending my first Christmas with my boyfriend in New York.” I smiled, resting my arms around his waist to pull him closer. Paparazzi be damned, I’d been away from Zach so long that I deserved this.

“But, if I recall, weren’t you really bummed that I was here on our first Christmas, and you were going to be in LA?” he asked, raising an eyebrow as he pulled me into a desperately needed hug. It seemed as if he wanted to make sure that I was not a figment of his imagination as he pressed kisses to the side of my neck causing me to melt.

“I was....until your brother stuck his nose in.” I breathed, raking my fingers through his hair to keep him as close as possible.

“What?” he asked, the surprised tone in his voice telling me he didn’t believe me and causing me to roll my eyes playfully as I met his gaze.

“Joe booked my flight and hotel room....then practically shoved me on the plane after you hung up. He said to call it his Christmas present.” I smiled, my gaze flicking from his eyes to his lips and back again. After being away from him for so long, it was like I was being over loaded and didn’t know what to do first. 

“And Noah is....” 

It was typical Zach to worry about Noah when I was stood in front of him freezing my ass off, but I indulged him and gave up the information which I knew would help him to relax a little bit more. 

“....at Tyler’s until I get back.” I assured him with a wink that made his smile brighten a little as he tightened his grip around my waist. His hand rested on my cheek, directing my lips to his and brushing a kiss softly against them. It was a thank you and three other words we’d never said to the other before all combined in one gesture which definitely helped to warm me up against the cold. 

His fingertips were still brushing a pattern over my cheek when we pulled back, and I bit my lip coyly as he traced my cheekbone with his thumb. 

“I’m so glad you’re here,” he whispered. His smile returned to its brighter glory before my eyes and his free hand rested on the small of my back to shield me from the cold and keep me close.

“So am I....but I’ll be a whole lot gladder when we’re in a nice warm hotel room getting hot and heavy.” I smiled; catching his lips in one more kiss before lacing our frozen fingers between us.

“Sounds like a plan to me,” he said softly, sucking my bottom lip as he squeezed my hand before pulling back. “Lead the way.” 

I pushed our interlinked hands into the pocket of my jacket and led him down the path towards the hotel. 

Definitely one of my best Christmas’ ever.


End file.
